prodigy
noun
Did you know?
Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."
Examples of prodigy in a Sentence
Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Just swap Matt Damon’s math wunderkind for a Chinese arthouse prodigy.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2025
The cast also features Lumi Pollack as cello prodigy Rosie, Casey Trotter as drummer Cliff, Brooklynn Pitts as choreographer Callie, Ava Jean as social media star Madison and Malachi Barton as the camp’s resident bad boy, Fletch.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
Precocious, loud, and ambitious, he was discovered early by local trainers and promoters, and proved to be a boxing prodigy.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prodigy
Cite this Entry
“Prodigy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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prodigy
noun
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